It’s true. The holiday season is a time to focus on fun and festivities. It’s easy to let other things go. Things like finding that new job, or moving up in your current job. And it’s good to pull back a little, let yourself have some fun, and take things easy for a little bit. It’s good for the soul, enhances your personal relationships, and builds memories for the future.

It’s also just a month away from January, when so many people make resolutions or set goals for the New Year. While I’ve never been one to make New Year resolutions, I do set goals. And I think it’s important to do so. Having been a project manager in the past, goals require strategies and an action plan with milestones to ensure I’m making progress, staying on track, and make adjustments as needed.

So, let’s talk about how to have fun, but make sure you’re not caught off guard come January. Remember, January is the start of the fiscal year for most businesses. It’s the busiest hiring season of the year and it’s when many companies establish budgets. Hoping to get a promotion this year? Start now to earn it. Want a new job? There’s no better time to get started.

WANT THAT PROMOTION? It takes work and planning to earn a promotion. Do your aspirations align with those of your manager, or the company as a whole? Sit yourself down and identify what you want to achieve in the year. Then meet with your manager to review those ideas and discuss how you two can work together to keep you on track to achieving that goal. I’m a strong believer in Individual Development Plans. They lay out what you can do to continue enhancing your value to the company while working towards a promotion. They keep both you and your manager focused on the goal. And, most importantly in my mind, they provide you a record of what you’ve accomplished so that when review time comes, you’ve got a well laid out and documented trail of what you’ve accomplished. There is no better way to earn that promotion than to show and measure your value!

WANT THAT NEW JOB? Perhaps your New Year resolution this year is to change jobs. It’s becoming more and more common for people to change jobs frequently. There are many reasons for this, from gaining experience to earning more money. Regardless of the reason, it’s no longer viewed as a negative. If you’re ready to make a change in 2018, set yourself a goal. Determine the date that you want to secure that new job. Then get started! Update that resume. Make sure your LinkedIn profile is projecting the message and image you want recruiters to see. Changing focus on your career? Make sure that is reflected in both your resume and LinkedIn. Get out and network! 85% of jobs are still secured through networking and the ‘hidden job market’. And finally, how are those interview skills? Everything about the job search has changed over the past 5 – 10 years. Are you ready? And in case you’re wondering, yes, you should approach your job search in the order presented here. The very worst thing you can do is to start networking before your resume and LinkedIn profiles are updated. Like the old saying, “You only get one chance to make a first impression.” Make sure your first impression is the one you want.

So, while you’re kicking back just a little and enjoying the holidays, take a moment now and again to think about the future and put together a plan that will ensure you achieve your goal.​Happy holidays everyone!

Author

Andrea's passion is to see you achieve your professional dreams. Whether you are a corporate leader seeking leadership development for your employees or an individual seeking guidance in building your career or preparing for retirement, she will coach you to success.

Follow Andrea's journey through life, change, and growth at boldlybicoastal.wordpress.com